The Canadian government is deciding whether to implement a total ban on exports of low-cost, patented drugs to the United States from Canadian-based pharmacies.

The move would deal an expensive blow to the billion dollar Internet pharmacy industry which is currently thriving from US orders.

Some US States have even encouraged local people to purchase their drugs via the Internet as many Canadian pharmacies offer prices that cannot be matched in the USA due to strict drug price controls.

Health minister Ujjal Dosanjh is due to decide soon whether to take the total ban option, or add more robust rules of sale to the pharmacies operating in Canada.